Bunk end canvas issues

ebcobra93 · 08-29-2015, 12:34 PM

I have a new 2016 Roo 183. Last weekend, one of our kids had rolled to the edge of the mattress up against the canvas. During the night, the canvas pulled out from the track enough that the bedding was falling outside.

Since then, I have tried to snap the plastic cap back into the channel but it seems to pull back up much easier than it should.

Has anyone else experienced this issue? My understanding is that FR changed the design (switching from snaps to the channel) during the 2015 model year.

One pic is of the outside (with canvas in place) and the other one is from the inside where the canvas meets the bed (the plastic cap is at the bottom of the canvas).

Ugh, can't post pics from my phone, will include pics if I get to a computer.

Hicks43 · 08-29-2015, 01:41 PM

Our shamrock is at the dealer for the same thing. When I get it back I. Gonna caulk around the edge.

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cb32857 · 08-29-2015, 03:37 PM

I have the same issue with the rear bunk on my 2015 23ikss. Seems like the front bunk seem is secured with screws. The rear bunk appears to have caulk or glue that's come undone. Suggestions

rompinroo · 08-29-2015, 04:21 PM

Could your kiddo have fallen out??

cb32857 · 08-29-2015, 04:24 PM

Sure..I discovered it when my phone fell out

ebcobra93 · 08-29-2015, 05:27 PM

I've heard stories of kids falling out with the older snap style (if the snaps pop off). In my case, it separated enough that a sheet was falling out, but fortunately not a kid. If it came apart along the whole edge, a small child could probably fall out.

The plastic strip in ours seems to have been tacked down in a few spots with silicone and then the strip was snapped in. I can't get it back in place securely (at least while we're camping). I'll take a closer look at it when we get home tomorrow night.

Purdyquibb · 08-31-2015, 07:43 PM

This exact thing happened to us with our 2015 23ss. My 4 yr old jumped over my 11 yr old and just about came out of the back. The canvas opened like a wet burrito. Couldn't do a lot while at the campground but we did secure it enough to finish camping. Once we got home, I took the entire (Junk) brown plastic channel off, Took the canvas and put it back in the correct way and screwed right through the hidden part of the canvas and the (Junk) brown channel so this will not happen again. Then I did the same thing to the front. Re did the silicone down the entire length of the canvas instead of the 3 4 inch sections that came from the factory. Seems to be a lot better and haven't had anymore issues. In answer to rompinroo yes, A kid could defiantly fall out. Thank everything holy his backside ended up basically in the sitting position and he got stuck halfway out, otherwise it would have been straight out backwards. Not my style but I could defiantly see a lawsuit when a kid either falls out or gets caught and strangled.

ebcobra93 · 08-31-2015, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purdyquibb

Once we got home, I took the entire (Junk) brown plastic channel off, Took the canvas and put it back in the correct way and screwed right through the hidden part of the canvas and the (Junk) brown channel so this will not happen again. Then I did the same thing to the front. Re did the silicone down the entire length of the canvas instead of the 3 4 inch sections that came from the factory. Seems to be a lot better and haven't had anymore issues.

Thank you very much for your reply. I think I am going to go with your fix instead of trying to snap the plastic cap back in or take it back for warranty service. I have only had this problem on one of my three bunks, but of course it's the one the kids sleep in so they are not careful about pushing on the canvas.

When you screwed through the channel, did it crack or split? Did you drill pilot holes through the channel into the bunk? Did you use silicone along the inside where the channel is or just the entire length along the outside?

Sorry for all of the questions, just trying to gather as much info as possible before attempting this fix myself. We are going camping again this coming weekend so I am hoping to get it all fixed up by then.

Thanks!!

Purdyquibb · 09-01-2015, 05:04 AM

I did not have any issues with splitting, In my case, the front channel and both side channels had screws but nothing on the back channels? I would say a pilot hole would be a good idea even though the plastic was soft. I only siliconed the entire outside of the fabric. Now keep in mind, I'm not sure if you are suppose to actually screw through the fabric, It just made sense to me to have something actually securing the canvas to the camper. Another guy I met had the same camper I do. His 13 yr old was reading a book with her feet along the back crack of the mattress and pushed theirs out with her feet? This seems to be an obvious issue to me at this point. If I were you, I would do all 3 bunks in the same manner, May save you the headache of a patch job while camping?

ebcobra93 · 09-01-2015, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purdyquibb

Now keep in mind, I'm not sure if you are suppose to actually screw through the fabric, It just made sense to me to have something actually securing the canvas to the camper.

I was thinking about that last night. I'm not sure if screwing through the canvas would make it more likely to tear in the future. But, I agree that something right through the canvas seems a lot more secure than just being pinched with a plastic channel.

I didn't see any screws on mine. All sides (except the front, closest to the camper) are snapped in using the plastic channel piece.

I'd like to hear from someone who got theirs "fixed" at the dealer to find out what the dealer did. They will probably just snap it back together which will probably come loose again in the future.

syogerst · 09-01-2015, 09:20 AM

I had the same problem with my 2015 23ikss. Front bunk opened. It was held down with very little silicone. I siliconed the entire length of the tent down to the bunk. Then siliconed the white plastic channel down to cover the seam. Let it dry for a few days. Seems to be holding just fine. I taped the outside seam while the silicon was curing.

ebcobra93 · 09-01-2015, 09:31 AM

Thanks syogerst. I think I will first try to do what you did (your white channel must be the same as my brown channel). The screws, although probably more secure, make me a bit nervous.

I'll try more silicone, then snap the channel back in place (easier said than done I'm sure). If it happens again, I'll consider other options.

syogerst · 09-01-2015, 12:50 PM

I was also afraid I'd screw it down to far and go right through. Good luck😊

ebcobra93 · 09-01-2015, 02:02 PM

I finally had a chance to take a closer look at my bunks. They are as others have described. The front and sides have the plastic cap fastened down with 2 or 3 self-tapping 1" screws that go through the reinforced canvas edge. The back cap (where the canvas came loose) was only tacked down in a few spots with silicone. I don't see any reason why screws weren't used all the way around.

I'm headed to the hardware store to pick up screws and silicone.

I'm still wondering what the fix from FR would be.

stephgator · 10-05-2018, 06:52 AM

Hey there.. just curious what the dealer did to fix the problem. Did it help?

stephgator · 10-05-2018, 06:53 AM

Also has anyone had any other issues since doing the silicon of the canvas to the bed, and then the channel to the canvas? Just had a friend tell us a story about her friend's kid that fell out of a hybrid and died! And ours came open on our last trip. so definitely want to get it fixed. Thanks

msmmce1 · 10-05-2018, 08:23 AM

Had the same thing happen to my 2015. The canvas pushes into the channel and the plastic snaps on top of it to keep it from pulling out, I went all the way around mine and screwed the plastic channel down. I think I used 4 screws on each and no problems since. Did this when almost new.

ebcobra93 · 10-05-2018, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stephgator

Hey there.. just curious what the dealer did to fix the problem. Did it help?

I fixed it myself using screws and silicone. Haven't had any issues since. See this thread:
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...d.php?t=111995

rsdata · 10-05-2018, 04:59 PM

I have had no tent issues with my '14 183...

Could it be that the tent ends are stretched out too far with the positioning of the cable brackets that hold the bunk ends up allowing too much downward (toward the bunk end) slope? Or in other words are the bunk ends laying level when setup?

Maybe the tents were made 3-4 inches too small to save on fabric???

Hybrid tent ends USED to be just bungee corded to the bottom of the bunk and were NOT sealed at all on the ends or side... many popups used the same design...

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